Why do we use cookies and similar technologies?

To make our websites, including our mobile sites work better and to distinguish you from other users, we use cookies and similar technologies. Cookies and similar technologies can perform functions and personalise content. The data collected can be used to send you interest based content and relevant advertisements.

What are cookies and what do they do?

A cookie is a small text file which sits on your device or browser and assists with information flow and functionality. We use cookies to support our websites, including our mobile sites. For instance, some cookies help with site security or provide information to help us improve the site. Information contained in certain cookies may be used to personalise content. Each cookie stores certain data that allows for specified purposes to be fulfilled.

For instance, cookies may store information about how the site is used, which can be used for maintenance and improvement. They simply log numbers and provide grouped information about site navigation – this tells us if people can find what they want.

First and third party cookies?

Cookies can be sent by different parties. If the cookie comes from our site it is a first party cookie. If it comes from another site, such as our marketing services or business partners, it is a third-party cookie, specifically chosen by us to provide a service, such as a more personalised visit.
The third-party cookies we use include those provided by Google.

• Session Cookies
  Session cookies last only for the duration of your visit and are deleted when you close your browser. They facilitate tasks such as allowing a website to identify that a user of a particular device is navigating from page to page, supporting website security and basic functionality.
• Persistent Cookies
  Persistent cookies are written on to your computer’s browser and remain in place until they expire, or you choose to delete them. We use persistent cookies to measure your engagement with our website and mobile site and to change and develop them to improve your experience with us.
• Strictly Necessary Cookies
  Support our websites operation.  They are essential when you move around our website and use its features. For example, they remember your details when you login.  This allows you to access your account. Without such cookies such services cannot be provided.
• Analytical/Performance Cookies
  Collect anonymous information on how people use the website, which helps us develop these. We can see if people find things easily and improve site navigation.
• Functionality Cookies
  Remember you when you return to the site and choices you have made on previous visits, such as searches and which country you’re from. This allows us to personalise our content for you, such as enabling us to remember your preferences.
• Targeting/Advertising Cookies
  These are cookies that record your visit to websites or apps, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. They collect information about your browsing habits which is used to make websites and apps and the advertising displayed on them more relevant to you and your interests.  This information may also be shared with third parties for this purpose. These cookies are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.  They are usually placed by third party advertising networks.  These cookies remember the websites you visit, and that information may also be shared with other parties such as advertisers.
• Social Media Cookies
  These cookies allow you to share what you’ve been doing on the sites on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. These cookies are not within our direct control.  Please refer to the privacy policy for the relevant social media platform(s) for how their cookies work.

How long do cookies last?

Different cookies can last for different lengths of time.
Session cookies last for that website visit. Information is kept from one page to another, so you don’t have to keep entering it.

Persistent cookies are on your browser and may last for up to 2 years or until you delete them. They can personalise the site and remember information each time you visit. We use them to see how people engage with our site. It helps us change and develop the site and improve your experience of it.

How long do cookies last?

You may reject cookies; however, site and functions will be affected. Cookies help our sites to work properly and personalise your experience. You’ll be able to browse the sites without cookies, but some standard functionality, preferences and certain features will not work.

By accepting cookies, you allow us to improve your experience and remember information about you, which can personalise your experience.

To reject or delete cookies, please see the Managing Your Cookies section below on how you can adjust your browser settings.

How long do cookies last?

By browsing or using our site you agree that we and the selected third parties (such as Google) in this notice can use (as described in this notice) data collected by the cookies you allow. If you do not agree, your browser settings can be set to reject cookies, see below.

Managing your cookies

There are several ways to manage cookies. You can:

1. Set your browser to prevent cookies from being accepted. More information should be in your browser’s “help” menu. How to adjust your browser will depend on which browser you’re using.
2. Set some browsers to send you an alert when a website is trying to place a cookie on your browser.
3. Block cookies by activating the setting on your browser to refuse all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies including strictly necessary cookies, site access and features can be limited or not available.
4. Use an adblocker to block any of the tools specifically or individually, including Google Analytics.
5. Delete cookies stored in your browser by “clearing cookies”. This will only delete cookies already stored. It won’t prevent new ones being accepted unless you change the acceptance settings. Also, clearing your cookies on one browser of one device does not automatically clear them on another. You need to clear all browsers on all devices, independently.
6. Refuse specific cookies, by using the opt-out process where available - see Cookie table below

More information about cookies is available on external websites such as www.aboutcookies.org. For help with how to manage and delete cookies, visit aboutcookies.org. Further information about advertising cookies, and how to manage them, can be found at youronlinechoices.eu (EU based), or aboutads.info (US based).

We are not responsible for the content or cookies from external websites. If you follow a link from our site to a third-party site, they will have their own privacy and cookie notices.

Please bear in mind that if you restrict or disable cookies it can limit functionality and prevent sites from working properly at all.

You can find more information about the individual cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them in relation to our website and mobile site listed in the table below. To opt out of these please see Managing Your Cookies above. Using an ad blocker enables you to individually block any cookies.

 

Cookie	Purpose
WordPress session cookie PHPSESSID	The PHPSESSID cookie is native to PHP and enables websites to store serialized state data. On the Action website, it is used to establish a user session and to pass state data via a temporary cookie, which is commonly referred to as a session cookie. This cookie expires at the end of the session.
Google Analytics _ga, _gat, _gid, UA-5637011-52	Google third party cookies collect anonymous information about how visitors use our site. This grouped data helps us improve the site. It may provide benchmarked data and broader market information as well. The cookie also sends certain information to Google. This includes, for example, the web address of the page you're visiting and your IP address, which will be assigned a code, to make it anonymous but distinguished by the code. Google may also set cookies on your browser or read cookies that are already there. Google may use the information to maintain and protect the Analytics service. More info is available at: https://policies.google.com/privacy/partners?hl=en-GB&gl=uk You may opt-out of Google analytics directly by using a plug-in from Google: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout Using this plug in will opt you out of all of the Google cookies mentioned.
Cookie Consent Status cookieconsentstatus	This cookie remembers that the customer has accepted the cookie consent banner. It’s stored in the user's browser for one year and means you don’t see the banner again. We don’t receive any information from it. This strictly necessary cookie lasts for 1 year.
Akamai Bot Manager akbmsc bmsv bmm akwfSession akbmsc bmsv bmmi akwfSession	These cookies collect information about your activity on the site to help protect against malicious website attacks. These are strictly necessary cookies and expire after 2 hours.
bmsz	This cookie collects information about your activity on the site to help protect against malicious website attacks This is a strictly necessary cookie and expires after 4 hours.
abck	This cookie collects information about your activity on the site to help protect against malicious website attacks This is a strictly necessary cookie and expires after 12 months.